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WRI 104/105: American Expertise (spring 2023)

Using Catalog Subject Terms

A good way to find material in the catalog or in databases is to use subject terms, standardized terms applied by catalogers to categorize books and articles. In the catalog, subject terms are clickable and will take you to more results that have the same terms applied.

Here are a few sample subject terms related to the topic of "expertise" that you can search the catalog for: 

You can also further target your search by using a combination of subject terms and keywords.

 

In-class exercise:

Please select a topic that has some relevance to the idea of expertise. Then, use a combination of subject headings and keyword searching to find a physical book in the library. When you locate the book, scan the immediate area and find a second book that looks relevant to the first. Bring them both back to the classroom.

Questions to consider:

  • What search strategy did you employ within the PUL catalog in order to locate the book?
  • How easy / difficult was it to use the Library of Congress call number system to locate the item in Firestone?
  • Consider the twin forces of serendipity and targeted search. What are the advantages / disadvantages of each with respect to finding books?